Recording device, control method for a recording device, and a control program

Abstract

If the recording medium and the thermal head stick together, a recording device, a control method for a recording device, and a control program enable avoiding media transportation problems caused by such adhesion. If the recording medium has a release coat layer or an overcoating layer and the recording medium is left in contact with the thermal head, an operating pattern is set according to the contact conditions for moving the surface of the recording medium a specific distance from the thermal head, and transportation is controlled according to the set operating pattern.

1. A recording device comprising:
 a transportation unit that conveys a recording medium; 
 a thermal head that records images to the recording medium; and 
 a control unit that, when the recording medium has a release coat layer or an overcoating layer, sets an operating pattern and controls the transportation unit according to the operating pattern, wherein: 
 the control unit acquires cause information that affects adhesion strength between the recording medium and the thermal head, and sets the operating pattern based on the cause information. 
 
     
     
       2. The recording device described in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the control unit sets the operating pattern that causes the recording medium to be conveyed in reverse and then forward. 
 
     
     
       3. The recording device described in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the control unit sets an operating time interval of the transportation unit, and at least one of whether operation is intermittent during reverse transportation and forward transportation and the number of intermittent operations, based on the cause information. 
 
     
     
       4. The recording device described in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cause information is at least one of temperature and humidity. 
 
     
     
       5. The recording device described in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the recording medium is linerless label paper having a release coat layer on the front and an adhesive layer on the back, and is pulled from a condition in which the adhesive layer is on top of the release coat layer and conveyed by the transportation unit. 
 
     
     
       6. A control method for a recording device that has a transportation unit that conveys a recording medium, and a thermal head that records images to the recording medium, the control method comprising a step of:
 detecting, when a recording medium having a release coat layer or an overcoating layer is left in contact with the thermal head, a contact condition, 
 setting, an operating pattern for moving the surface of the recording medium a specific distance relative to the thermal head according to the contact condition, 
 and controlling the transportation unit according to the operating pattern; 
 wherein the contact condition is a cause information that affects adhesion strength between the recording medium and the thermal head. 
 
     
     
       7. The control method described in  claim 6  further comprising a step wherein:
 the recording medium is linerless label paper having a release coat layer on the front and an adhesive layer on the back, and is pulled from a condition in which the adhesive layer is on top of the release coat layer and conveyed. 
 
     
     
       8. A control program for controlling by means of a computer a recording device that has a transportation unit that conveys a recording medium, and a thermal head that records images to the recording medium, the control program causing the computer to function as a control unit that, when a recording medium having a release coat layer or an overcoating layer is left in contact with the thermal head, detects a contact condition, sets an operating pattern according to the contact condition for moving the surface of the recording medium a specific distance from the thermal head, and controls the transportation unit according to the operating pattern, wherein the contact condition is a cause information that affects adhesion strength between the recording medium and the thermal head.